Interview Assessment #1

Emma Bittner

Question List and Notes on following pages

Name of Person Interviewed: Mr. Gerry McCarthy

Profession: Photojournalist for the Dallas Morning News

Location and Business Name: Dallas Morning News

508 Young St.

Dallas, TX 75202

Date of Interview: October 20, 2016

Time: 1:30 PM

In preparing for my interview, I was nervous and felt rushed, more than I normally do in
a stressful situation. Everything had fallen into place just 5 hours before and I was scrambling to
make sure I was well informed, as well as had all of my necessary tools. Sitting in the green
room of B101, I dialed the number and anxiously waited as the phone rang. Mr. McCarthy was
warm and inviting when he answered the phone and immediately my nerves melted away. We
were able to talk for about 40 minutes, and in that time I gained an incredible amount of
information, solidifying my passion for journalism.
Mr. McCarthy, though was my first interview, was so genuine and gave me such honest
answers, I felt he would be one of the best interviews I would have this year. McCarthy informed
me that he had not always loved the idea of being a journalist. Originally, he was a music major,
and had been a musician the majority of his life, but eventually got burnt out and just didnt love
it anymore. He switched to a journalism major, took a photography class at UT, and realized this
was something he truly enjoyed, from there he pursued a career in journalism, specifically
photojournalism. As a Photojournalist for the Dallas Morning News, McCarthy was able to
explain how his career allows him to connect with a wide range of people. Having 1-2
assignments per day, McCarthy gets to meet at least 2 new people a day and is able to see and
experience things most people wouldnt.
Getting to experience and capture some of the most intimate moments shared by others is
a surreal thing and McCarthy gets to do so on a daily basis. Being able to go out and and
surround himself with others, as well as getting to tell their stories is one of the most rewarding
parts of his career, McCarthy noted. As journalists we have to gain the trust of our subjects in a
matter of minutes, its one of the more difficult part of our jobs. McCarthy laughed while telling
me how he wishes there was a universal formula of how to gain someones trust, but in reality,
you just have to be human and talk to them. The situation different for every person we meet, its
never going to be the same, so it just takes time and eventually everything will fall into place. In
addition to gaining trust, one of the challenges McCarthy faces as a journalist is time. He needs
time to work, edit, write, and document, the time in the newsroom is crucial, as well as
expensive. Its tricky to fit it all in, but its not a bad part of the job, it is just time management
and staying organized.
The growing world of social media is beginning to engulf journalism and impact how
news is shared. McCarthy, though social media is relatively new to him, explained how it has
revolutionized how he works. After a shoot, he will tweet out a set of four pictures to captivate
an audience, from doing this he has gained a wide following and is able to stay in tune with what
the public likes. As easy as social media is, it can also tear journalists down. Its easy to surround
yourself with positive feedback, but its also just as easy to only focus on the negative criticism.
McCarthy noted that as social media evolves, to keep a balance of positive feedback, but also
make sure to be open to criticism to strengthen my skills.
As our interview wrapped up, McCarthy made sure to give me a few tips for how to
make it in the world of journalism. What does it mean to make it? The term is subjective, so
it varies per person, but to be successful, he reminded me to stop and remind myself of my goals
and of what I want. He shared a piece of helpful advice with me, make your big time where you
are at now, a quote with that helped him to stay motivated, when he was first starting. He shared
that what you may be working on now may not be for the New York Times, but it matters and it
matters to the people around you. Additionally, keep an open mind, he reminded, if youre open
minded things can only get better.
I was able to gain so much from my interview with Mr. McCarthy. He was very helpful
and was very honest and didnt sugar coat things, he said that things would be hard, and I
appreciated his truthfulness. We planned on emailing to set up another interview next week, so I
can learn more about what he does specifically, as well as why he chose Photojournalism over
Print Journalism. Additionally, I was extremely excited after me interview, I felt energized and
ready to go. I wanted to write and go meet people, I wanted to go into the world of journalism
right then and there.
 Questions and Notes

1. Did you always want to be a Journalist?

a. No, started as a music major, but got burnt out
b. Changed to a journalism major (had written for the paper in HS)
c. Took a photography class and found passion
2. How did you work your way up to the Dallas Morning News?
a. Had no internships, but started at a small paper in Paris, TX
b. Worked for multiple small papers
c. Was able to gain enough skills to join DMN in 2007
3. What do you feel is the most rewarding aspect of your career?
a. Meeting people, getting to experience new things & tell stories
b. I get into peoples lives and get to share intimate moments
4. What do you view as the most challenging aspect of your career?
a. Gaining trust
i. No formula for it, just be a human
ii. Talk to those and get to know them
iii. Its different for every person
b. Time
i. Time to work, edit, write, document
ii. The newsroom is a busy and expensive room
5. What experiences have you had that helped prepare you for journalism?
a. As a musician, dealt with criticism for all of his life
b. Helped him to develop a thicker skin
c. Own worst critic to help keep him on his toes
6. What is your favorite piece or article you have worked on?
a. In 2015, he followed a homeless family from shelter to shelter
b. He documented them traveling everywhere and finally moving into a place of their own
c. Able to capture some of their best and worst moments
d. Took about a year, but he still keeps in contact with the family
e. Made a significant connection with them and wants to maintain a connection
7. Do you mainly focus on regional areas or do you broaden your focus to the state, possibly the
nation as a whole?
a. When he joined the DMN there were 30 photojournalists, now there are 12
b. Before many would go to Afghanistan and do stories
c. Now its more of DFW oriented
d. Wants to stay local because of his family and his life he has built here

8. With Journalism jobs decline in the future, how are you preparing for this?
a. It is overwhelming
b. Society needs the media, we will always have a place
c. The sky's the limit, that is scary but also thrilling
9. What advice do you have for an aspiring journalist like myself
a. Remind yourself of your goals
b. You can make it wherever you are
c. Be open minded
d. Stay humble
e. Be passionate